Allium sativum (garlic) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Garlic is native to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan) and northeastern Iran. It is widespread in cultivation. Hand-coloured engraving of Allium sativum (garlic), by William Woodville (1793) Description Overview: A bulbous herb growing to about 60 cm tall. Bulb: Rounded, composed of up to about 15 smaller bulblets known as cloves. Cloves and bulbs are covered by a whitish or pinkish tunic (papery coat). Leaves: Four to twelve long, sword-shaped leaves attached to an underground stem. Flowers: Borne in a dense, spherical cluster on a spike (flower stalk) up to 25 cm long. The young flower head is enclosed in a long-beaked pair of enclosing bracts, which become papery and split to reveal the flowers. Individual flower stalks arise from a common point. Flowers are greenish-white or pinkish with six perianth segments (sepals and petals) about 3 mm long.

Bulbils (asexual propagules), which resemble tiny cloves, are often interspersed among the flowers. Fruits: Flowers usually abort before developing to a stage at which fertilisation could take place. Seeds: Not usually produced in the wild but have been produced under laboratory conditions. With a black coat, similar to onion seeds, but approximately half the size. Uses Food and flavouring Sliced, fried garlic from India was exported to Burma where it was eaten with pickled tea. Garlic has been used as a food and flavouring agent for thousands of years. After onion, garlic is the most widely consumed bulb. Almost 10 million tons of garlic is produced each year. The world's largest producers include China, Korea, India, USA, Spain, Egypt and Turkey. Garlic bulbs are sold fresh or processed to produce a dry powder or oil. Garlic is popular in French, Spanish, Portuguese and South Asian cuisine. The bulb is the most commonly used part but chopped leaves are sometimes also used. Garlic is one of the most frequently used plants in many parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and there are many ways of using it.

Garlic is used not only to flavour curries but can be used in drinks and savoury desserts. To add a mild flavour to food the fresh cloves are cooked whole. If a stronger flavour is required, garlic cloves are crushed or ground and added to the dish. Garlic should not be cooked for too long as it can become bitter. Often garlic heads with small cloves have a stronger flavour than larger ones. Oil is processed from garlic and used commercially as flavouring. It can be added to flavour otherwise bland vegetable oils. Garlic is not popular with everyone. Members of certain religious groups in India, such as Jainism and Brahman Hinduism, are forbidden to eat onion-related plants like garlic. The reasons differ in each case. Jains consider use of garlic to be too damaging to the plant, while some Hindus consider garlic too stimulating. Traditional medicine Garlic is one of the oldest plants to be widely used as a medicine. In most corners of the world, it is regarded as an aphrodisiac. Its medical qualities have been recognised since ancient times and feature widely in traditional remedies. The bulbs are the most frequently used part of the plant. In India they are prepared in several ways including extracting the juice or pulping the bulb to a paste.

This has been taken to relieve problems such as coughs and fevers or applied externally to prevent greying of hair and to improve skin conditions such as eczema and scabies. It has even been applied to the noses of hysterical girls to calm them down! Garlic bulbs from Madhya Pradesh (from Kew's Economic Botany Collection). Warmed garlic juice or a mixture made with oil and boiled bulbs have been dropped into the ear to relieve earache and deafness. In Ayurvedic and Siddha medicine, garlic juice has been used to alleviate sinus problems. In Unani medicine, an extract is prepared from the dried bulb that is inhaled to promote abortion or taken to regulate menstruation. Unani physicians also use garlic to treat paralysis, forgetfulness, tremor, colic pains, internal ulcers and fevers. Extracts of bulbs have been widely used in folk medicine. Whooping cough in children has been treated by administering a drink made with a hot water extract of the dried bulb mixed with honey or by wearing a necklace of bulbs. Hot water extracts are also taken to kill intestinal worms. In Pakistan, an extract is traditionally taken orally to settle the stomach, treat coughs and reduce fever.

Garlic bulbs have sometimes been combined with other plants to make medicines. Mixed with the leaves of the ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis) it is used as a treatment for rabies. An infusion of the entire plant has been combined with sugar and taken to treat fevers. Garlic has also been used in traditional Indian veterinary medicine to treat tetanus and inflammatory disorders of the lungs. Garlic also features in traditional medicine in other parts of the world. In Nepal, East Asia and the Middle East it has been used to treat all manner of illnesses including fevers, diabetes, rheumatism, intestinal worms, colic, flatulence, dysentery, liver disorders, tuberculosis, facial paralysis, high blood pressure and bronchitis. Western medicine The medicinal properties of garlic are now scientifically recognised. It is widely available in different forms as over-the-counter supplements, particularly to treat blood conditions and as an anti-viral medicine. Various sulphur-containing compounds occur in garlic. One such compound is called alliin. Crushing or chopping garlic may also promote enzyme reactions and allow other compounds to form.

Studies show that these compounds may be effective in many ways including: pain relief; anti-worm, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties; lowering of blood glucose and blood pressure; and liver protection. Other research shows that garlic may help lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots and spasms, act as an expectorant and alleviate swellings, sores and acne. Pest control Garlic is sometimes deployed in gardens to deter pests. Some companies have taken its pest-repelling properties a step further by isolating its active compounds and marketing them in a spray-on formula. Crate of Allium sativum 'Picardy Wight' harvested at Kew Garlic is often grown among flowers or root vegetables as a companion plant, with the aim of protecting other plants from pests. In some small garden plots, rows of garlic are planted along the perimeter to act as a deterrent. Garlic extracts have also been used as deterrents. In Europe these extracts are freeze-dried and marketed as garlic pellets, which are then dissolved in water and sprayed onto plants to deter aphids and caterpillars.

A disadvantage of these extracts is that the active sulphurous compounds have a pungent smell that can mask the perfume of roses and other aromatic plants. This species at Kew Dried specimens of Allium sativum are held in Kew’s Herbarium where they are available to researchers by appointment. Details, including images, of other Allium species can be seen online in Kew’s Herbarium Catalogue. Allium sativum - Herb Information Sanskrit/Indian name: Lasuna General information: Garlic, a familiar culinary ingredient, is used as a key spice in many cuisines. Historically, it has been used as both a food and medicine in different cultures, dating back to ancient Egypt. Cultivated widely, its numerous health benefits have made it a popular herb in traditional medicine. Known to promote heart health, Garlic is now being extensively researched by modern scientists. In his book, The Healing Power of Garlic, author Paul Bergner writes that the herb has many minerals and nutrients. He cites research conducted in 1994, when scientists reviewed previous clinical trials of Garlic and concluded that it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

Therapeutic constituents: While Garlic contains many active constituents, allicin is considered to be one of the primary active compounds that gives the herb its pungent odor and many of its healing properties. Allicin is released only when Garlic is crushed or chopped; finely chopped Garlic has higher amounts of allicin that whole Garlic. Key therapeutic benefits: Garlic is traditionally used to provide relief from the common cold and cough. Studies suggest that Garlic helps reduce total cholesterol (TC) and serum triglyceride while raising levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol. The herb is also helpful in reducing blood pressure. Makali, Bangalore, KA, 562 162, India 1(800) 208-1930 Allium sativum - Plant Finder Plant Finder Tried and Trouble-free Recommended by 2 Professionals Common Name: cultivated garlic Height: 1.00 to 1.50 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet Bloom Time: April to May Bloom Description: Pinkish-white Garden locations Culture Grow in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. In the St.

Louis area, bulblets (cloves) are best planted in fall but need the protection of a good winter mulch (e.g., straw). In very cold winters, the bulblets may not survive. Bulblets may also be planted in early spring. Fall plantings generally produce larger bulbs for harvest. Plant bulblets 2” deep and 6" apart with the pointed end up in rows 1-2' apart. Harvest in late summer after most of the leaves have turned yellow-brown and begin to fall over. Dry bulbs for several days before storing in a cool, dry location. Noteworthy Characteristics Allium sativum, commonly called garlic, is a bulbous perennial of the onion family. It is native to the Mediterranean area. Foliage consists of aromatic, linear, flattened, grass-like green leaves. In some varieties, a central scape topped by an umbel of pinkish-white flowers rises from each clump of leaves to 18” tall in summer. Garlic is typically grown as an annual in herb and vegetable gardens for its segmented bulbs which are commonly used in cooking. Garlic comes in two varieties: hardneck (designated as Allium sativum var.

ophioscorodon) and softneck (designated as Allium sativum var. sativum). Hardneck varieties typically produce a flower stalk, with flowers giving way to a seed cap. Each bulb typically contains 4-10 cloves (bulb is smaller but cloves are larger than those of softneck). Hardneck varieties come in three different types: Rocambole, Poreclain and Purple Stripe. By contrast, softneck garlic plants typically do not produce a flower stalk. They produce bulbs with smaller but more numerous cloves than hardneck garlic plants. Each bulb typically contains 12-20 cloves. Softneck plants are also braidable (bulbs can be braided together into attractive chains by weaving the soft grass-like tops together). Softneck garlic varieties are the ones most often commonly sold in supermarkets because they typically have a much longer shelf life than hardnecks. Softneck varieties come in two different types: Silverskin and Artichoke. Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for garlic. Specific epithet means cultivated. Problems No serious insect or disease problems. Root/bulb rot may occur in wet, poorly-drained soils.

Potential insect pests include nematodes, thrips, bulb mites, onion maggots and wireworms. Garden Uses Spice Pages: Garlic (Allium sativum, garlick) Garlic field Garlic is one of the most popular spices in the world, and wher­ever it was intro­duced to, it met enthu­siastic ap­proval. It is re­ported that in an­cient Egypt, the workers who had to build the great pyramids were fed their daily share of garlic, and the Bible mentions garlic as a food the Hebrews en­joyed during their sojourn in Egypt (see pome­granate ). See also onion on the cooking of ancient Meso­potamia, where garlic played an eminent rôle. In Europe, garlic has been a common spice since the days of the Roman Empire, and it was ex­tensively used from India to East Asia even before the Euro­peans arrived there. After the Age of Ex­plora­tion, its use spread rapidly to Africa and both Americas.

Curi­ously enough, in our days Northern Euro­peans seem to be the only ones who look on it with sus­picion because of its strong smell, which is some­times felt unpleasant. Some cuisines are fond of raw garlic. In parts of Austria, salads (based on lettuce) are prepared with vinegar, oil and minced garlic. The more Northern practise of rubbing the salad bowl with a halved garlic clove (and dis­carding the clove after­wards) is generally frowned upon, and the tasty pumpkin seed oil is preferred over bland refined vegetable oils. Raw garlic appears in quite a multitude of Mediterranean sauces. Prominent examples are the Provençal specialty aïoli, basically a mayonnaise based on olive oil and enriched with garlic; furthermore, Greek skordalia [σκορδαλιά] a paste made from cooked potatoes and raw garlic, and Turkish çaçık, a refreshing soup made from plain yoghurt, shredded cucumber, garlic and peppermint leaves.

A similar, but thicker, saucy product is known as tsatsiki (also spelled tzatziki [τζατζίκι]) in Greece, where it is often served to barbecued lamb souvlaki [σουβλάκι]. Many appetizers from West Asia (e. g., hummus, see sesame ) contain some fresh garlic. Occasionally, minced garlic is spread along the edge of Italian pizza (see oregano ). A number of salads or appetizers with raw garlic is found in Georgia, where it is usually ground to a paste together with walnut and herbs like parsley , celery or coriander . Such a paste may be spread over fried aubergine slices (badrijani [ბადრიჯანი], often served with fresh pomegranate seeds) or may be mixed with vinegar to yield a dressing for tomato and cucumber salad (k’it’ri-k’amidoris salata [კიტრი-კამიდორის სალათა], usually topped with parsley , coriander and/or basil leaves).

Garlic plants in a garden In China, raw garlic appears in many salads, for example suan ni huang-gua [蒜泥黄瓜], crunchy cucumber cubes with a dressing of vinegar, sesame oil and garlic, topped with coriander leaves. Yet similar appetizers (also employing dried chiles , chile oil or soy sauce) are prepared with many more vegetables (string beans, steamed leaves) or glass noodles. A non-vegetarian example is hong-you ji-si [红油鸡丝], thin strips of boiled chicken breast dressed with chile oil and garlic. A mixture of finely chopped garlic and sesame oil (diluted with bland vegetable oil to taste) is often served as a dip on the table. Garlic plants in a garden Remotely similar but rather spicy and salty snacks with raw garlic, often entire garlic cloves, are found in the highly original cuisine of the Newar people in Nepal. In ad­dition to the usual set of Indian spices (e.

g., fenu­greek , cumin , and fennel ), the Newari have a rather un­typical fond­ness for raw garlic and ginger , which appear to­gether with large amounts of fresh or dried chiles in cold salad-like foods that are enjoyed during the day, together with dry beaten rice and a bottle of beer: Choyela or choila [छोयला or छोईला] (barbecued buffalo meat dressed with dried chile, fresh ginger, garlic and an aromatic local mustard oil), satu mhicha [सतु म्हिचा] (small pockets of buffalo stomach stuffed with bone marrow), musya palu [मुस्या पालु] (green soy beans with sliced garlic and ginger) and the strange jala [जला], small pieces of boiled buffalo skin (with some meat attached) seasoned with garlic, chile and dark toasted fenugreek seeds. Another example is the lean raw buffalo mince kochila [कोचिला] mixed with mustard oil, which is usually served with loads of raw garlic cloves.

Vampyres have no chance in Vietnam, particularly around Hanoi [Hà Nội]: Freshly grated garlic is served in liberal amounts to spring rolls and soups in Northern Vietnam (see Vietnamese cinnamon for an account of the Hanoi style beef soup). The latter is an example demonstrating the subtle effect that can be achieved by adding grated or squeezed raw garlic to a dish that already contains cooked garlic. Garlic fresh after the harvest Young garlic plants Raw garlic may also be pickled in vinegar or olive oil. Since some of garlic’s aroma is ex­tracted by the liquid, and since little cell damage occurs before the enzymes get dys­functional, pickled garlic is usually very mild. Herbal vinegar (see dill ) is commonly made with one or two garlic cloves per liter vinegar. A unique garlic flavouring is the Tibetan garlic water , gog-chu [སྒོག་ཆུ་]. This consists of very slightly crushed garlic cloves that are left to macerate with water, sometimes in combination with dried Sichuan pepper . A few drops of vinegar may be added for pre­servation.

The water ac­quires only a mild garlic flavour and may be sprinkled over salads; in Ladakh, it was also served to the national noodle dish, momo [མོག་མོག་] (see Sichuan pepper ). Usage of fried or cooked garlic is, however, much more common and found in almost every cuisine of the world. On heating, the pungency and strong odour get lost and the aroma becomes more subtle and less dominant, harmonizing perfectly with ginger , pepper , chiles and many other spices. An interesting example from Northern Italy is bagna cauda, a sauce made by cooking garlic cloves in olive oil very slowly, adding pungent fermented anchovies (acciughe) and puréing. In Piedmont, bagna cauda is served as a dip with raw or slightly cooked vegetables. Another Italian recipe depending almost entirely on garlic are the spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncini, boiled pasta with garlic and dried chiles shortly fried in olive oil. Garlic fresh after the harvest Different Asian cui­sines make dif­ferent use of this very ver­satile spice.

Many Indian recipes add garlic in an early phase, and it is fried for a long time to­gether with onion and other spices to pro­vide the basic masala; in the fi­nished dish, the garlic taste is no longer dis­cernible, but has merged totally with the other com­po­nents. In con­trast, although Indo­nesian and even Chinese stir-fries usually start with frying a few cloves of garlic, a faint garlic aroma persists until serving be­cause of the much shorter cooking time. In Indon­esian cuisine, mixtures based on minced garlic, ginger and chiles are frequently used to season meat pieces before roasting or grilling (see lesser galangale for details and see also lemon grass for the spice paste bumbu). In Thai cuisine, it is common to fry garlic slices in very hot oil to a crisp texture, and decorate foods with these brown, crisp garlic slices. Yet other Thai recipes avoid the frying of garlic but prefer gentle simmering for spicy soups or creamy curries. Garlic is also an essential component of its curry pastes (especially the green one), see coconut .

Similar custom is found in Cambodia, where pastes of garlic, together with chiles , lemon grass or ginger , are added to soups or stews. Mural in Gilroy, the Californian garlic capital Gilroy Garlic Festival In the south­ern states of the US, garlic is also very popular. The small town of Gilroy (in California, not far from San Francisco) claims to be the garlic capital of the world; although not quite true, the claim seems plausible to every visitor in end of July, when the annual garlic festival is held and garlic recipes are evaluated — allegedly, they even serve garlic ice cream (see also vanilla ). The Gilroy area is also the main garlic producer for the US market, as can easily be smelled at harvest time. There has been the saying that steaks can be marinated in the air of Gilroy. That’s clearly exaggerated, but not necessarily much so. Gilroy mainly produces dehydrated garlic, which is more popular in the USA than in other countries.

Dried garlic, however, also makes an appearance in East African cooking, and it is the characteristic flavour in the Georgian table condiment svanuri marili [სვანური მარილი] ( Svanetian salt ), a coarse ochre powder made from salt, garlic, coriander , dill , savory , cumin , blue fenugreek and a dash of chile . Garlic after the harvest Garlic drying after harvest in Nepal Garlic consump­tion is also high in Central America, where the bulbs are, among others, used for Mexican mole (see paprika ) and salsa (see long coriander ). Garlic is much less popular in today’s Europe, where it is used only with care, except the Southern European countries. Northerners seem to loathe the faint garlic odour that is emitted by garlic eaters even many hours after the garlic consume. There is no perfect remedy against it, but eating chopped parsley , hot showering and excessive tooth brushing will remove at least the greater part of it.

In recipes from North or Central Europe, garlic is normally cooked for a long time to reduce it odour; furthermore, its aroma is thereby sufficiently damped to fit better to the rather mild food of this region. Cooks tend to use garlic together with some Mediterranean herbs ( thyme , bay leaves ), but also with indigenous spices like juniper and caraway . Garlic drying after harvest in Nepal Cooks in Sou­thern Europe tend to use garlic much more liberally. It is com­monly com­bined with pungent chiles (e. g., Italian spa­ghetti aglio ed olio, spa­ghetti noodles with garlic and olive oil); garlic finely cut and sus­pended in olive oil to­gether with parsley leaves is often served to barbecued fish in Croatia. Garlic is a main con­stituent of most Medi­terranean sauces; some examples using raw garlic were given above.

Food prepared with both red or white wine calls for some garlic: Rabbit stewed in red wine together with generous amounts of garlic and bay leaves is a national dish in Malta (Fenek bit-tewm u bl-Inbid), and Portuguese porco vinho e alho (fried pork cubes that have been seasoned with white wine and garlic) is delicious; the latter food was adapted to South West India, where it is known as vindaloo [विंदालू] (see tamarind ). Also, Eastern Europe has a lot of garlic tradition: From the Balkan to the Baltic, garlic is found in soups, sauces and salads. Serbia and Hungary have a fine reputaton for their garlic-laden foods, but also the Black Sea countries Bulgaria and Romania use it a lot. On the Eastern coast of the Baltic sea, garlic is often consumed in salads and other cold foods, preferably raw and squeezed; for example, small cubes of dry black rye bread shortly fried in oil with some garlic make a snack commonly eaten in Lithuania, typically to go with a glass of beer. Of botanically related plants, onion is certainly the most important.

Even more closely related is bear’s garlic , whose fresh leaves have some tradition in Central Europe. Horticulture/Allium Family - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Horticulture/Allium Family Vegetables in the Allium Family[ edit ] These vegetables grow from bulbs, common Allium Vegetables include Garlic, Onions and Shallots. Garlic Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial in the family Alliaceae , closely related to the onion , shallot , and leek . It does not grow in the wild, and is thought to have arisen in cultivation, probably descended from the species Allium longicuspis , which grows wild in south-western Asia. Garlic has been used throughout all of recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Leeks The leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum (L.) J. Gay) is a vegetable belonging, with onion and garlic , to the Alliaceae , the onion family . Also in this species are two very different vegetables: The elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var.

ampeloprasum) grown for its bulbs, and kurrat which is grown for its leaves in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East . The leek is also sometimes classified as Allium porrum (L.) Onions Onion in the general sense can be used for any plant in the Genus Allium but used without qualifiers usually means Allium cepa, also called the garden onion. Onions (usually but not exclusively the bulbs ) are edible with a distinctive strong flavour and pungent odour which is mellowed and sweetened by cooking . They generally have a papery outer skin over a fleshy, layered inner core. Used worldwide for culinary purposes, they come in a wide variety of forms and colours. Shallots Shallot, as the word is commonly used, or eschallot in some countries, refers to two different Allium species of plant. The French grey shallot or griselle, which has been considered to be the "true shallot" by many, is Allium oschaninii, a species which grows wild from Central to Southwest Asia . Other varieties of shallot are Allium cepa var. aggregatum (multiplier onions ).

[1] The name of the shallot derives from the name of the city of Ashkelon ( Latin ‘Ascalon’) in ancient Canaan . All About Allium Vegetables: Onions, Garlic, & Others All About Allium Vegetables With the recent press on alliums such as onions and garlic protecting against both cardiovascular disease and cancer, we asked a friendly vegetable expert to tell us more about this family of vegetables. (from the staff of VegetableExpert.co.uk ) How would we cook without onions and garlic? Sautï¿½ed in canola or olive oil, they are key ingredients in many tasty and healthful vegetarian meals. These versatile vegetables are high in beneficial sulfur compounds, giving them their distinctive flavor and aroma. Onions and garlic belong to the Allium genus. Allium, in fact, is derived from the Greek word for garlic. Shallots, leeks, and chives are also members of the allium family. Onions have been cultivated for thousands of years and originated in the Near East and Central Asia. They were grown not only for use in cooking, but for their antiseptic qualities. In Egypt, onions were used in mummification.

The most familiar allium is the common, or bulb, onion of the species Allium cepa, which may have a yellow, white, red, or purple skin. While onions may be fresh, they are most commonly purchased dried. Fresh, also called ï¿½sweetï¿½, onions have a milder taste. Dry, also called ï¿½storage,ï¿½ onions, have a stronger flavor. Dry onions have thick, paper-like skins. The vast majority of onions purchased at the supermarket are yellow storage onions. Pungent yellow onions are the best ï¿½keepersï¿½ and are great additions to soups and stews, while red onions are very sweet, but a poor choice for long-term storage. Red onions are good sliced and eaten raw in salads or sandwiches, or for topping a veggie burger. Common mild onions include Bermuda and Spanish varieties. Pearl onions -- which are most often white -- are the tiniest of the bulb onions, and are the top choice for boiling or pickling. Many people think that scallions are a type of onion, but in fact theyï¿½re simply the immature plants of any bulbing onion, harvested before the bulb is fully formed.

Scallions may also be called spring onions, green onions, or salad onions. The green tops and the white root (the developing bulb) of scallions are both eaten. One type of onions, commonly called ï¿½bunching onions,ï¿½ are members of the species Allium fistulosum. Theyï¿½re called bunching onions because theyï¿½re usually sold in bunches at supermarket. Bunching onions produce the best scallions with a milder taste than other onion varieties. A native to Central Asia, garlic (Allium sativum) has historically been prized for both culinary and medicinal use. Garlic has the strongest flavor of all the alliums. A hardy perennial, garlic grows as bulbs, which are made up of cloves. One type of garlic that has become popular recently is Elephant garlic, which is a separate species (Allium scorodoprasum or Allium ampeloprasum). Elephant garlic has huge, very mild heads, and can either be sliced and eaten raw in salads or cooked and used as a substitute for onions.

Itï¿½s believed that shallots (Allium ascalonium) found their way to Europe by way of the Crusaders from Ascalon, an ancient Israeli city, from which shallots get their botanical name. Like their garlic cousins, shallots grow as bulbs divided into cloves -- usually two, but occasionally as many as ten. Shallot bulbs grow in clusters. Shallots have a distinctive tapered shape that sets them apart from other members of the onion family. Most often a copper brown color, they may also be reddish or gray. Their flavor, sometimes described as a blend of sweet onion and garlic, make them a favorite of gourmet chefs. Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) are the largest member of the allium family and look like gigantic scallions. They may grow up to two feet long and two inches thick, and they do not form a bulb. France, Belgium, and the Netherlands lead the world in leek production, and leeks are often featured in French, Belgian, and Dutch cooking. Also called ï¿½poor manï¿½s asparagus,ï¿½ leeks are a good complement to potatoes -- in potato leek soup, for example.

Wild leeks, or ramps, are a spring delicacy in eastern North America. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) look like tall tufts of grass. A hardy perennial, chives are in fact closely related to grass. Chives can be clipped with scissors to use straight from the garden: to top a baked potato with vegan sour cream, or to add a mild onion flavor to dips, salads, or soups. Garlic chives (Allium tubersosum), also called Chinese chives or Oriental chives, are good as a mild substitute for garlic. Why not experiment by adding different types of alliums to your meals -- to spice up your soups, stews, dips, and salads! Copyright © 2007 VegetableExpert Garlic - Allium sativum Methods of use - culinary, medicinal Constituents - volatile oil, mucilage, glucokinins, germanium Origins - Garlic is a member of the lily (Liliaceae) family and a cousin to onions (Allium cepa), and chives (Allium schoenoprasum).

It dates back at least 6,000 years and has been cultivated for such a long time that it is difficult to trace the country of its origin, but it probably originated in the steppes of central Asia where it grew wild, its bulbs and shoots collected for food and medicine by our earliest ancestors. It was highly prized by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and was used in Europe, Persia and Russia. At one time it was so highly-prized, it was even used as currency. It is one of the original herbal medicines, believed to increase stamina and promote general good health. Homer wrote of it in the ninth century B.C. De Candolle, in his treatise on the Origin of Cultivated Plants , considered that it was apparently indigenous to the southwest of Siberia, whence it spread to southern Europe, where it has become naturalised, and is said to be found wild in Sicily. It is supposed to have been introduced into China in the first or second century B.C., and references to it there occur from the 15th century onward. Europeans, especially those of the countries touching the Mediterranean, have used it commonly for two thousand years and more.

It is widely cultivated in the Latin countries bordering on the Mediterranean. Dumas described the air of Provence as being 'particularly perfumed by the refined essence of this mystically attractive bulb.' The first reference to garlic in America is the statement that Cortes fed on it in Mexico. Doubtless it had been introduced into the West Indies or Central America earlier by the Spanish, for it is not native to Mexico. The Indians in Mexico, Peru, and what is now the United States all took up its culture promptly and liked it better than any of the other root or bulb crops from Europe. Louis Pasteur scientifically determined the antibiotic qualities of garlic. Albert Schweitzer, the famous organ player, Nobel prize and physician, spent many years of his life to cure the least lucky people of Africa, used garlic as a remedy for dysentery and against tuberculosis, typhus and diphtheria. Description - Garlic grows to a height of about 60 cm. It has narrow, flat upright leaves attached to the base, about one centimeter wide getting thinner towards the tip. The flower stem bears a round head of pale pink or greenish-white blooms. Sometimes small bulbs can be found in the flowers - these can be planted.

The bulb (the only part eaten) is of a compound nature, consisting of numerous bulblets, known technically as 'cloves,' grouped together between the membraneous scales and enclosed within a whitish skin, which holds them as in a sac. Garlic bulbs can range in size from 1.5 to 3 inches in diameter depending on variety. Garlic's strong odor is due mostly to a sulfide called allicin. Attributed medicinal qualities - An old time remedy for almost anything. Garlic is used around the world for cooking and healing. This prized herb possesses antibiotic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal activity. It is a natural source of selenium, which must be present in the body for proper immune response, and which acts as an antioxidant. It has also been found to contain more germanium, an anti cancer agent, than any other herb. It helps the immune system fight colds and 'flu, keeps the digestive organs healthy and even acts as an insect repellent. Applied to the skin, it has antiseptic qualities and will cure mouth ulcers, acne, cold sores and athlete's foot. Ayurvedic medicine considers garlic a good remedy against leprosy.

It has also been used to help relieve congestion in the lungs and kill parasites, such as threadworm and roundworm. It is said to help equalise high or low blood pressure and reduce blood cholesterol. A clove or two of Garlic, pounded with honey and taken two or three nights successively, is said to be good against rheumatism. History - The English name for Garlic is Anglo-Saxon in origin, being derived from gar (a spear) and lac (a plant), in reference to the shape of its leaves. The most ancient written evidences about garlic are in the Sanskrit language, where it was defined as ï¿½the killer of monstersï¿½. The first useful information was found in an Egyptian papyrus - the Codex Ebers dated back to 1550 BC - about twenty meters long and containing hundreds of medical prescriptions. Garlic was mentioned in about twenty prescriptions mainly as a remedy against insect stings, to relieve headaches and as a relief for pain. In China garlic is mentioned in the Shih Ching (The book of Songs), a collection of ballads said to have been written by Confucius.

The Chinese prized Garlic so much that they used it in their ceremonies and rituals, it is said that lambs offered for sacrifice in China were seasoned with garlic to make them more pleasing to the gods. In Egypt garlic was considered as a sacred plant (according to Pliny garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths) and it was given to slaves involved in hard physical work to improve their stamina. In fact it was the staple food of Egyptian pyramid-builders and it was often depicted in hyroglyphics, bulbs of garlic were even found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen, probably left there in order to keep away evil. The Bible mentions garlic as a food the Hebrews enjoyed during their sojourn in Egypt. It was largely consumed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as we may read in Virgil's Eclogues. Horace, however, records his detestation of Garlic, the smell of which, even in his days (as much later in Shakespeare's time), was accounted a sign of vulgarity. He called it 'more poisonous than hemlock,' and related how he was made ill by eating it at the table of Maecenas.

Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks (Theophrastus relates) on the piles of stones at cross-roads as a supper for Hecate, however among the ancient Greeks, persons who ate it were not allowed to enter the temples of Cybele. Homer, however, tells us that it was to the virtues of the 'Yellow Garlic' that Ulysses owed his escape from being changed by Circe into a pig, like each of his companions and Odysseus, on his way home from Troy, is said to have saved himself and his fellow sailors from the sorceress Circe by putting a magic plant moly (believed to be a type of wild garlic) into the wine offered by her.

Arab legend has it that: 'when Satan stepped out from the Garden of Eden after the fall of man, Garlick sprang up from the spot where he placed his left foot, and Onion from that where his right foot touched.' There is a curious superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him, and allegedly Hungarian jockeys will sometimes fasten a clove of Garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any other racers running close to those thus baited, will fall back the instant they smell the offensive odour. The Romans disliked the strong flavor and odor of garlic but fed it to their workers to make them strong and to their soldiers to make them courageous. In ancient Rome the Latin expression allium olere (stinking of garlic) was used to refer to people belonging to a lower social class. Many of the old writers praise Garlic as a medicine, though others, including Gerard, are sceptical as to its powers.

Pliny gives an exceedingly long list of complaints, in which it was considered beneficial, and Galen eulogizes it as the rustics' Theriac , or Heal-All. In olden days, Garlic was used to treat leprosy and in the middle ages it was called a leper ï¿½pilgarlicï¿½. It was also believed that it had most beneficial results in cases of smallpox, if cut small and applied to the soles of the feet in a linen cloth, renewed daily. One of its older, more popular, names in England was 'Poor Man's Treacle,' meaning theriac , in which sense we find it in Chaucer and many old writers. A writer in the twelfth century - Alexander Neckam - recommended it as a palliative for the heat of the sun in field labour. It was also mentioned in several Old English vocabularies of plants from the tenth to the fifteenth centuries, and is described by the herbalists of the sixteenth century from Turner (1548) onwards. It is stated to have been grown in England before the year 1540.

In Cole's Art of Simpling we are told that cocks which have been fed on Garlic are 'most stout to fight: and that if a garden is infested with moles, Garlic or leeks will make them 'leap out of the ground presently' (now that I would like to see). It formed the principal ingredient in the 'Four Thieves' Vinegar,' a protection against the plague, so named because in Marseilles (1726) four thieves who were arrested for robbing corpses credited their immunity to wearing masks soaked in vinegar, garlic and other herbs. In the early 19th century a highly infectious fever broke out in the London slums, the French priests who constantly used Garlic in all their dishes, visited the worst cases with impunity, whilst the English clergy caught the infection, and in many instances fell victims to the disease. It is not always popular though, on November 21, 1368 King Alfonso of Castile decreed that any knight who ate garlic was banned from the court for 30 days. During the renaissance, garlic was kept away and even banned from the tables of noble people, because of the bad smell it gave to breath, to sweat and intestinal gases.

However it was in great demand during the war, when it was used as an antiseptic. In 1916 the Government asked for as much as could be produced. Garlic poultices were placed on wounds as an inexpensive, and apparently quite effective replacement for antibiotics, Cultivation - Garlic is a perennial herbaceous plant, but is usually grown as an annual. It is easy to grow, but requires a rich, light and well drained soil and plenty of sun. The soil may be sandy, loam or clay, though Garlic flourishes best in a rich, moist, sandy soil. An old wive's tale is that they should be planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest. Planted in spring, the the ground should be well prepared and free from all lumps. Divide the bulbs into their component 'cloves' (these cloves act as seeds ). Each fair-sized bulb will divide into ten or twelve cloves. With a dibber plant the cloves separately, pointy side up, about 2 inches deep and about 6 inches apart, leaving about 1 foot between the rows. Garlic beds should be in a sunny spot.

The beds must be kept thoroughly free from weeds and the soil gathered up round the roots with a hoe from time to time. Keep the soil slightly moist but not wet. When planted early in the spring, in February or March, the bulbs should be ready for lifting in August, when the leaves will be beginning to wither. Should the summer have been wet and cold, they may probably not be ready until September. Harvesting, preparation and storage - The leaves of the plant will tell you when to harvest, when they start to wither and the tips start to dry out. This is usually in late summer/early autumn. Timing is of the essence, if you harvest too early the cloves will be very small, too late and the bulb will have split. The bulbs should be dug up rather than pulled to avoid stem injury and handled them gently to avoid bruising. Hang the plant in the shade allowing the leaves to wither. As the bulbs dry the skin becomes papery and the flavour grows and you can plait the leaves into a string. Brush the dirt off once it has dried (I don't wash the bulbs).

Choose heads that are firm to the touch, unbruised with no nicks or soft cloves and free of mould (powdery patches under the skin). Store unpeeled in an open container in a cool, dry place away from other foods. Do not refrigerate or freeze unpeeled garlic. Peeled garlic cloves may be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator and garlic paste can be frozen. It can also be preserved in oil, however it should still be stored under refrigeration to avoid potentially-deadly bacterial growth. Fresh garlic is more difficult to peel. As it ages, it shrivels inside the skin, making it easier to peel, it will also begin to produce green sprouts in the center of each clove. These can be bitter, so discard them before chopping the garlic for your recipe. Properly stored garlic can keep up to three months. Culinary Uses - Garlic epitomises gastronomy, it is one of the most used ingredients found in every cooking culture of the world, something that truly binds humanity together. It turns up in countless spice mixes, seasonings and marinades, such as harissa, the fiery flavouring that gives zip to Tunisian, Moroccan and Algerian tagines .

Thai cooking would be unthinkable without garlic: look no further than green curry paste and Thai salads. Garlic is crucial to Mexican cooking, particularly recado, the spicy paste which seasons so many dishes. Together with its relative the onion, garlic flavours many Indian curries and, in the Lebanon, a sauce similar to aïoli is much prized. And what of Italy? Italians put garlic in everything, most notably gremolata , the garlic, parsley and lemon zest seasoning which adds last-minute zing to osso bucco . In Provence, for example, there is a chicken dish cooked with forty cloves of garlic. In Spain, vast quantities are eaten with fish, and most Mediterranean countries have fierce sauces based on pounded raw garlic. The smaller you chop garlic, the more pungent it becomes. Whole cooked garlic cloves are quite mild, with a nutty flavor. Recipe - Salmon with Roast Garlic Magical Uses - Anyone who has watched tv, read horror books or been to the movies knows that garlic repels vampires. It was used as a protection against witchcraft, evil spirits, and vampire bites. A clove worn around the neck supposedly acts as a good luck charm or talisman.

Sailors often carried a clove to protect against shipwreck. German miners carried garlic to protect them against the evil spirits found in mines. Roman soldiers ate garlic and carried it into battle to give added courage. And bullfighters ate a clove of garlic before going into the ring believing it would stop the bull from charging. What you might not know is that in folklore garlic was used as an aphrodisiac to promote passion. And yet in Mexico, young girls used garlic to rid themselves of boyriends whose attentions were unwanted. In some places in France it is customary to place a clove of garlic on a child's lips at the baptism ceremony for good health and happiness. And in Mexico Garlic is often hung around the necks of blind cattle to restore sight. Charm against warts Other Uses - Pest control, a lotion against baldness, digestive aid, added to feed for chickens to prevent Gapes; a disease of young chickens caused by a small round worm, cloves, when distilled with water, isolate an oil which contains compounds essential in the creation of olefins. Quotes Mohammed: "In cases of stings and bites by poisonous animals, garlic acts as a theriac.

Applied to the spot bitten by the viper, or sting of scorpion, it produces successful results." Chaucer: "Wel loved he garleek, onyons and eek leekers, And for to drinken strong wyn, reed as blood." Mountstuart Elphinstone: "The people in places where the Simoon is frequent eat Garlic and rub their lips and noses with it when they go out in the heat of the summer to prevent their suffering from the Simoon." Lilly: "The herbs which are attributed to Mars are such as come near to redness, whose leaves are pointed and sharp, whose taste is caustic and burning, love to grow in dry places." Sir John Harrington: "Sith garlick then hath power to save from death, Bear with it though it makes unsavory breath; And scorn not garlick, like to some that think, It only makes men wink, and drink and stink." Culpeper : "In choleric men it will add fuel to the fire; in men oppressed in melancholy, it will attentuate [weaken] the [melancholic] humour, and send up strong fancies, and as many strange visions to the head; therefore let

 it be taken inwardly in great moderation; outwardly you may make more bald with it" Rev.

Hilderic Friend: "Each clove of garlic has a sacred power..." Cervantes: "Do not eat garlic or onions; for their smell will reveal that you are a peasant." Percy Bysshe Shelley: "What do you think? Young women of rank eat - you will never guess what - garlick!" Arthur Baer: "There is no such thing as a little garlic." Marcel Boulestin: "Peace and happiness, begin, geographically, where garlic is used in cooking." Sylvia Rubin: "The best thing to do with garlic of course, is to eat it." New York Yiddish saying: "Three nickels will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat." Garlic in the News Georgian Fire Garlic Seeds - Garlic - SeedWise.com Growing Practices: No Pesticides No Herbicides No Fungicides No Synthetic Fertilizers Latin Name: Allium Sativum Description: Georgian Fire, like most porcelains is a large and beautiful garlic with rich robust flavor that is strong and has an aftertaste that lingers.

The clove covers are a light brown streaked with purple From a growers perspective, it is a large and healthy garlic to grow and appears to be relatively resistant to most of the diseases that can affect garlic. It originated in the Republic of Georgia. Our happy little ranch uses all aspect of organic and biodynamic farming practices to achieve the highest quality food, or medicine, as we like to think of our garlic as. Grown with love and attention, whether planting or eating, the care we take will shine through. Enjoy! Growing Tips: Garlic loves loose, well drained soil with lots of organic matter and nitrogen. I test and balance my soil with micronutrients as well. Garlic is one of the best Selenium assimilators in the veggie world, so don't for get it! If your soil drains well, keep it moist (if you can ball it up and it doesn't crumble or isn't slimy it is at the right moisture content) until about 2 - 3 weeks before harvest then pull off all water. Give it an extra boost in the spring and early summer with an organic nitrogen source and it also responds well in the early spring to foliar fed fish or kelp meal.

If you have mulched over winter make sure you remove the mulch once it warms up to let the soil warm up and to discourage molds and fungi. Then the weeding begins! The most important thing to growing nice garlic is to keep a clean field. I can't stress this enough! Harvest should begin when you have about 50% of the leaves turn yellow. After you prepare your soil, plant deeper if you intend not to mulch in cold climates, otherwise, just poke it in with your thumb about an inch deep rake to cover and mulch if you are in a hard freezing climate. Good luck! Questions About Garlic - Allium sativum : Green Earth Institute, Organic Vegetable Farm & more Home -> Recipes -> Garlic -> About Garlic - Allium sativum About Garlic - Allium sativum Allium is the ancient Latin name for the garlic family and may derive from the Celtic all, meaning ï¿½pungent.ï¿½ Sativum indicates that this plant has long been cultivated.

The English name garlic is derived from the Middle English gar, meaning ï¿½spear,ï¿½ and leae, meaning ï¿½potherb.ï¿½ The origin of garlic is unknown, though it is believed to have originated somewhere near Siberia and to have spread from there into the Middle East and Europe. Mentioned in the literature of all the great ancient kingdoms, garlic has a long history that has always been tied to the working class. This member of the lily family has a compact bulb divided into a varied number of white or purplish-colored, almond-shaped segments called cloves, each one wrapped in its own papery skin. Its smell is coarse and offensive to some people, but its uses in both the kitchen and medicine cabinet are legendary. Garlic is probably the most popular of flavorings, important in most of the world cuisines. It adds dimension to all foods except desserts. Its health benefits are many; it is considered an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic, antispasmodic, digestive and expectorant.

Hundreds of studies have confirmed that 72 separate infectious agents can be deterred by garlic, including those that cause the common cold, whooping cough, tuberculosis, botulism, bladder infections and dysentery. Storage Garlic stores well in a cool, dark, dry and well-ventilated place for several months. Warm temperatures will encourage the garlic to sprout. Do not refrigerate unless storing peeled cloves for a short time (keep them in an airtight container to avoid garlic odor spreading to other foods). For very long term storage, garlic can be minced and covered with olive oil, placed in small airtight containers and frozen. After removing from the freezer, keep it in the refrigerator. Preparation Tips Raw garlic has a vibrantly sharp, biting flavor, which some find too strong for their palate. Cooking eliminates the bite and softens the flavor, while roasting gives it a smooth, mild, nutty flavor. Press, mince or slice peeled garlic cloves. One medium garlic clove equals 1 teaspoon minced. Use it in just about every savory dish, including stir-fries, soups, stews, roasted meats and fish, sauces, casseroles, egg dishes, vegetables, and breads.

To roast, cut off tops of whole garlic bulb to expose cloves, brush or dab with olive oil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degree F. Squeeze garlic out of its skins and spread on good crusty bread. Or mash it and use in purees, sauces and soups. When sautï¿½ing garlic, be careful not to brown it, as this will cause a bitter flavor. Make garlic butter: Use 1/2 cup of softened butter mashed with four minced garlic cloves. Mix 1 or 2 cloves of finely minced garlic in 8 ounces of tomato or vegetable juice. Its a great remedy for congestion due to colds or flu. Sources: ï¿½Whole Foods Companion,ï¿½ Dianne Onstad, 2004 and ï¿½Asparagus to Zucchini, A Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce,ï¿½ Madison Area CSA Coalition, 2003. Nutrition Facts Garlic is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese and a good source of calcium and selenium. (3 cloves raw garlic)

Question: Which culinary vegetable has the Latin name "Allium Sativum"?
Answer: Garlic